This dissertation investigates the relationship between social engineering tactics and the facilitation of online sex trafficking, with a focus on prevention strategies. First, the impact of parenting strategies on adolescent run-away behavior, focusing on both physical and online dimensions is explored. Drawing on existing literature, we investigate how parental responsiveness and psychological control influence adolescents' perceptions and behaviors related to physical and online runaway tendencies. The study highlights the nuanced role of parental strategies, emphasizing the importance of coherence and alignment in parental communication to mitigate the risks associated with adolescent runaway behavior. Second, this research investigates how heuristic (e.g., social cues), systematic (e.g., informativeness, persuasiveness) factors and personality impact susceptibility to deceptive job posts. Using the heuristic-systematic model and an experimental design, it examines how these factors influence the likelihood of falling victim to fraudulent job offers on social media, particularly Instagram. Then, objectives are developed to combat online sex trafficking using standpoint theory and value focused thinking. This study prioritizes marginalized perspectives and employs value focused thinking to integrate stakeholder values in the decision-making process to ensure a safer digital environment.